Bayern Munich dealt fresh Jamal Musiala injury concern as Germany star ruled out for longer than expected

According to Sky Sport, the Bavarian giants will navigate their European return fixture tomorrow without Musiala as the playmaker will miss the round of 16 second leg against Atalanta after failing to recover from a stress injury in his ankle. The injury was sustained during Bayern's emphatic 6-1 away victory in the first meeting between the two sides. The youngster was notably absent from the final training session, making his exclusion a certainty for Vincent Kompany's matchday squad. Despite their comfortable aggregate lead, his absence remains a significant frustration for the club's creative output.

While the immediate focus is on securing their quarter-final spot tomorrow, there are growing fears his layoff could extend into upcoming domestic fixtures. The midfielder is now considered a major doubt for the Bundesliga encounter against Union Berlin this Saturday. This latest setback is particularly cruel, as he only returned in January after missing the first half of the campaign with a broken fibula. Since returning, he has managed three goals and two assists in 11 appearances.

The timing of this ankle injury is particularly poor for both club and country, with the international break looming on the horizon. Julian Nagelsmann is set to announce his national squad this coming Thursday for upcoming friendly matches against Switzerland and Ghana. The Bayern star may now be forced to withdraw from the camp to focus on his rehabilitation in Munich. No final decision has been made regarding his availability for the national side, but the current trajectory suggests the games might come too early. The priority remains ensuring he returns at full fitness for the decisive run-in.

The attacking midfielder is not the only headache for Kompany during this congested period. The manager provided an update before the recent match against Bayer Leverkusen, confirming a mini-crisis with several first-team regulars in the treatment room. Alongside the 23-year-old, the club previously noted that Alphonso Davies suffered a muscle strain in his right hamstring after the Bergamo trip. Furthermore, the goalkeeping situation is under intense scrutiny, with Manuel Neuer sidelined by a calf problem and Jonas Urbig recently diagnosed with a concussion, though he could still make the starting XI this week.